Defections: Oyegun speaks on blaming Oshiomhole for APC crisis

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has refuted the report of him blaming his successor, Adams Oshiomhole for the current wave of crisis in the ruling party.

Oyegun was said to have blamed Oshiomhole for allegedly displaying arrogance, which was destroying the party.

He was quoted to have said, “When I was called up to handover to Adams Oshiomhole, I pleaded with the leaders of the party to look for someone else even if they don’t want me again. Nobody listened to me. I handed over to him a party fully intact and healthy. Under 4 weeks, Oshiomhole has used his mouth to destroy APC. Who do you blame?”.

But in a statement by his Chief of Staff, Edwin Ikhinmwin, the former APC Chairman denied the comment attributed to him, saying he strongly supports efforts being made by Oshiomhole to bring back peace and re-position the party.

The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the immediate-past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and circulating in the social media.

“I have been directed by the former APC National Chairman to state the following:

“Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has not issued any press statement or spoken to the press on the concocted statement credited to him.

“We view this as part of the fake news being disseminated to magnify the ongoing challenges facing the party and create new fissures between the former National Chairman and the incumbent, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to frustrate ongoing reconciliation efforts within our party.

“The former APC National Chairman fully supports all efforts to reconcile and unify the party.

“Oyegun uses this opportunity to call on all party leaders, members and supporters to embrace the ongoing peace talks led by President Muhammadu Buhari and the party’s National Chairman to restore stability within the party, so that we can position our party as a unified and strong political fighting force going into the forthcoming general elections in 2019.”